Trouble / violence at gigs.

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Skinheads did their evil best to hurt as many hapless punk kids as they could, back in the day. Always remember the wise guy skin with the crutch in Croydon (Greyhound/Fairfield) that he used to swing about him as a weapon on the heads of kids just trying to enjoy themselves. Sincerely hope he died horribly. Skinheads may have individually have been luvvverly to their muvvers. But put them in a pack, it was like letting loose a pack of half-starved half-bright rottweilers in a confined space. Despise they the fact that they're now trying desperately to re-invent themselves as stylists who were only ever into the Crombies and the Sta-Prests and the Harringtons and all the rest of it. None of it meant anything. They were just thick c*nts beating up on other kids for no good reason at all. Fact.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Skinheads did their evil best to hurt as many hapless punk kids as they could, back in the day. Always remember the wise guy skin with the crutch in Croydon (Greyhound/Fairfield) that he used to swing about him as a weapon on the heads of kids just trying to enjoy themselves. Sincerely hope he died horribly. Skinheads may have individually have been luvvverly to their muvvers. But put them in a pack, it was like letting loose a pack of half-starved half-bright rottweilers in a confined space. Despise they the fact that they're now trying desperately to re-invent themselves as stylists who were only ever into the Crombies and the Sta-Prests and the Harringtons and all the rest of it. None of it meant anything. They were just thick c*nts beating up on other kids for no good reason at all. Fact.

wrong
regards
DR

 

[BN9 BHA]

sunday at the alhambra surely

The Piranhas did also play at the Alhambra, maybe on another night, but 3 other posters on this thread have mentioned going to see them at The Buccaneer on Sunday nights.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Yes, Das was there, now PPF! One band name I'll never forget from those days, the Lil-Lets. I used to like Nicky & the Dots out of all those Vaultage bands back then.
The Piranhas nights at The Bucaneer were great though.

I expect you have already seen this website. www.punkbrighton.co.uk

 

[Return of the Rev]

The Piranhas did also play at the Alhambra, maybe on another night, but 3 other posters on this thread have mentioned going to see them at The Buccaneer on Sunday nights.

They had a regular Sunday spot at the Alhambra at some point QUOTE FROM THE BAND BELOW

Eventually the welt and its wife - including John Peel, Robert Smith and Jerry Dammers - beat a path to our Sunday night gigs at the Alhambra on Brighton seafront. For a while we enjoyed cult status and a reputation as a live act. There is no significant bodily function that I have not performed in the back of a Transit van.

 

[s5.bha]

Saw em play the old vic they bought their own crates of boddingtons was suppose to go and see the housemartins at corn exchange but stayed in vic much better nite

Was that the bank holiday Monday gig

 

[The-Libertine]

UK Subs , Top Rank . Skins had to give up their Doc Martens and still it kicked during every song. In the end Nicky Garrett jumped into the crowd and split a skinhead's head open with his mike stand.

This was the first gig I ever went to. The support band were The Dodgems. They opened with a song called 'Lord Lucan is missing', which actually went on to be a hit in the USA, but which went down very badly at the Top Rank Suite in June 1980. The band just about made it to the end of the song, despite a barrage of missiles, and then the lead singer made the mistake of saying 'Goodbye W£&@#^%s'. This was the cue for people to invade the stage and trash anything the Dodgems had left behind in their rush to leave. Much later in the evening I saw a punk walking round with the bass guitar up his jumper. It seemed ridiculous because the fret board was so obviously sticking out at the top. I still wonder if he got home with it.

Having kicked off the support band after just one song there was an enormous wait for the UK Subs to appear. During the delay, Fights seemed to break out all over the place. It was worth the admission fee just to watch one of the Bouncers in action. A huge Asian guy took out troublemakers time and time again in the style of the TV detective Frank Cannon - he'd knee his victim in the stomach/groin and when they bent over in pain he'd chop hem on the back, sending them to he ground.

When the Subs eventually appeared Charlie Harper apologised for the support band (he kept referring to them by the wrong name (The Bumpers). "Sorry about The Bumpers - We normally choose our own support band and we always choose punks", he said. As PFJ says, fights broke out throughout the gig and as one broke out near the stage, Nicky Garrett suddenly picked up a mike stand and smashed it down into the crowd. One person was taken away covered in blood, clearly badly hurt. These days I'm sure that person would have sued (successfully) for huge compensation. The police arrived in significant numbers shortly afterwards and the gig was stopped but remarkably, as far as I know, no charges were made against Garrett, who explained his actions by saying, "10 c***s onto 1 ain't fair"

All other gigs I attended afterwards seemed tame in comparison.

 

[lasvegan]

They had a regular Sunday spot at the Alhambra at some point QUOTE FROM THE BAND BELOW

Eventually the welt and its wife - including John Peel, Robert Smith and Jerry Dammers - beat a path to our Sunday night gigs at the Alhambra on Brighton seafront. For a while we enjoyed cult status and a reputation as a live act. There is no significant bodily function that I have not performed in the back of a Transit van.

I can attest that they played at the Alhambra on a Sunday night because I saw them there every week for at least a year, 79 - 80, I remember the night John Peel was there.
Most of the Vaultage Bands played there also. Another band, The Ammonites, founded by my brother (the infamous DIRK STEELE, forever banned to the NSC Hall of Shame, for good reason, whiskey I think) had a regular stint down there also, they still play around town once in a while. They also blew away San Diego a couple of years ago playing with the still alive members of the Beat Farmers and Mojo Nixon
...Nick, Mike (Ammonites, Piranhas after Reg, Stomp) and Will {Prince Albert}, The Brighton Bombers did us proud.

Anyway, back to my posh craft beers...

 

[tinycowboy]

I saw Inspiral Carpets at ULU many years ago and, whilst I was standing at the front, a fairly scary looking bloke pushed his way to the stage and gobbed in the face of the surprised lead singer, who then tried to gob back, but the scary bloke just laughed and worked his way back to the obscurity of the bar again. I know that Inspiral Carpets weren't the best band ever, but why bother? My instinct tells me that the gobber was not someone I'd recruit for an office job that required exposure to senior management.

 

[Billy Bilo]

Any one remember a Peter and the Test Tube babies gig at a London University (cant remember which) we went up with a coach load of punks and a coach load of Mods, the local Skins decided the mods were the ones to attack, after the gig with everyone on coaches ready to go there was a running battle ( mostly running) their coach was damaged so badly they had to send up another from Brighton. I seem to remember a strange guy with long hair who used to hang around always wearing dark glasses tried to drive it off in the melee.

 

[Billy Bilo]

Lots of Brighton Bands listed here but surely we can all agree the best of the lot was the Vandells ?

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Lots of Brighton Bands listed here but surely we can all agree the best of the lot was the Vandells ?

Nah....

I never went to a screwdriver gig but I am sure they would have been pretty scary.

The Meteors have a scary following even if I do say so myself, but this gig has to king of violence and wins hands down.

Thirty odd years ago, on Friday 3 July 1981, several 'Oi' punk bands were set to play a gig in Southall, an area of west London with a large South Asian population. The line up at the Hambrough Tavern included the 4-Skins, The Last Resort and The Business. In July '81, reports of racist incidents involving people heading to the gig in the Hamborugh prompted Asian youth to take to the streets. Skinheads were said to have broken a shop window and abused an Asian shopkeeper, among other things. The police formed a cordon around the pub, and deployed riot shields. Clashes intensified as the police attmepted to disperse the crowd. Petrol bombs were thrown and the pub was set on fire. Cars and police vehicles were overturned, and a police coach was burnt out. Walls were demolished to provide bricks for ammunition. 61 policemen were injured and at least as many civilians; there were 21 arrests.

I think we all agree Skinheads were by far the worst.

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

Just got back from holiday and spent an entertaining half hour reading through this thread. Suprisingly not witnessed that much violence at gigs. I remember a bit of trouble when The Fall played at The University Of Sussex back in the 80s which continued outside the venue and on the train back which funnily enough left from Falmer. Not sure what it was about but police were waiting at Brighton Station to arrest a few idiots. The most surreal was a fight between Hamilton from British Sea Power and the lead singer of German band Faust who they were playing alongside at The Old market. It took place well after both bands had finished in front of the stage. Something to do with Sea Power being unhappy about their role that evening. My mate to this day reckons he stepped in and calmed things down but I think that's something he imagined happened!

 

[PFJ]

I do remember seeing the news coverage of this gig. Skinheads steaming out of a burning pub and then seemingly fighting side by side with the police against the missile bombardment from the locals. It is fair to say the skins , mostly from East London , were taking liberties with the local community and shops during the afternoon. I remember seeing footage of Asian business' with NF slogans daubed on some shop windows.
Outside the burning pub , I recall a skinhead lobbing missiles back at the Asian youth .He was standing between two coppers with riot shields . He shouted at the camera " I bet you will blame us for this as well !!"
After that , it was very difficult to see the 4 Skins anywhere. They were due to play the Xtreems club at the bottom of West Street during that period , but it was cancelled once the club knew who it was. I still have the flyer .
As far as gig violence goes , this was pretty extreme.

 

[happypig]

Nah....

I never went to a screwdriver gig but I am sure they would have been pretty scary.

The Meteors have a scary following even if I do say so myself, but this gig has to king of violence and wins hands down.

Thirty odd years ago, on Friday 3 July 1981, several 'Oi' punk bands were set to play a gig in Southall, an area of west London with a large South Asian population. The line up at the Hambrough Tavern included the 4-Skins, The Last Resort and The Business. In July '81, reports of racist incidents involving people heading to the gig in the Hamborugh prompted Asian youth to take to the streets. Skinheads were said to have broken a shop window and abused an Asian shopkeeper, among other things. The police formed a cordon around the pub, and deployed riot shields. Clashes intensified as the police attmepted to disperse the crowd. Petrol bombs were thrown and the pub was set on fire. Cars and police vehicles were overturned, and a police coach was burnt out. Walls were demolished to provide bricks for ammunition. 61 policemen were injured and at least as many civilians; there were 21 arrests

Banter...

 

[sten]

Just got back from holiday and spent an entertaining half hour reading through this thread. Suprisingly not witnessed that much violence at gigs. I remember a bit of trouble when The Fall played at The University Of Sussex back in the 80s which continued outside the venue and on the train back which funnily enough left from Falmer. Not sure what it was about but police were waiting at Brighton Station to arrest a few idiots. The most surreal was a fight between Hamilton from British Sea Power and the lead singer of German band Faust who they were playing alongside at The Old market. It took place well after both bands had finished in front of the stage. Something to do with Sea Power being unhappy about their role that evening. My mate to this day reckons he stepped in and calmed things down but I think that's something he imagined happened!

The fall gig is when some students set the fire alarms off and all the lights came on half through the set, give mes credit he just carried on playing till the end ,the trouble could have been my mate & me arguing with some said students in the uni & him clumping one outside on way back to falmer station remember a lot of screaming and hollering at us as we walked off. Funny though.

 

[loz]

This night was quite legendary with us Punks at the time...The Poison girls IMHO the best band out of Brighton very involved to.

A night of violence all but wrecked the weekend's Stonehenge Festival. The trouble erupted late on Saturday night when a group of middle-aged bikers went on the rampage, attacking every punk they could lay hands on, and effectively preventing Crass and Poison Girls from playing their sets.

The evening began peaceably with music from Nick Turner's Inner City Unit, The Mob and The Snipers, but when punk band The Epileptics took the stage they were greeted with a hail of flour-bombs, cans and bottles. Their lead singer was knocked to the ground by a bottle. The bikers then set fire to The Epileptics' banner, attacked members of Crass and Poison Girls, damaged the generator and took over the stage.

Penny Rimbaud , a member of the band, wrote
Our presence at Stonehenge attracted several hundred punks to whom the festival scene was a novelty, they, in turn, attracted interest from various factions to whom punk was equally new. The atmosphere seemed relaxed and as dusk fell, thousands of people gathered around the stage to listen to the night's music. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, a group of bikers stormed the stage saying that they were not going to tolerate punks at 'Their festival'. What followed was one of the most violent and frightening experiences of our lives. Bikers armed with bottles, chains and clubs, stalked around the site viciously attacking any punk that they set eyes on. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to escape to; all night we attempted to protect ourselves and other terrified punks from their mindless violence. There were screams of terror as people were dragged off into the darkness to be given lessons on peace and love; it was hopeless trying to save anyone because, in the blackness of the night, they were impossible to find. Meanwhile, the predominantly hippy gathering, lost in the soft blur of their stoned reality, remained oblivious of our fate.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Any one remember a Peter and the Test Tube babies gig at a London University (cant remember which) we went up with a coach load of punks and a coach load of Mods, the local Skins decided the mods were the ones to attack, after the gig with everyone on coaches ready to go there was a running battle ( mostly running) their coach was damaged so badly they had to send up another from Brighton. I seem to remember a strange guy with long hair who used to hang around always wearing dark glasses tried to drive it off in the melee.

was this the coach that picked up at st peters church , Glue bag being passed through the coach on the way up stopped off around the croydon area on the way up
regards
DR

 

[BN9 BHA]

Nah....

I never went to a screwdriver gig but I am sure they would have been pretty scary.

The Meteors have a scary following even if I do say so myself, but this gig has to king of violence and wins hands down.

Thirty odd years ago, on Friday 3 July 1981, several 'Oi' punk bands were set to play a gig in Southall, an area of west London with a large South Asian population. The line up at the Hambrough Tavern included the 4-Skins, The Last Resort and The Business. In July '81, reports of racist incidents involving people heading to the gig in the Hamborugh prompted Asian youth to take to the streets. Skinheads were said to have broken a shop window and abused an Asian shopkeeper, among other things. The police formed a cordon around the pub, and deployed riot shields. Clashes intensified as the police attmepted to disperse the crowd. Petrol bombs were thrown and the pub was set on fire. Cars and police vehicles were overturned, and a police coach was burnt out. Walls were demolished to provide bricks for ammunition. 61 policemen were injured and at least as many civilians; there were 21 arrests.

I think we all agree Skinheads were by far the worst.

Where is the middle photo taken?

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Where is the middle photo taken?

Not sure to be honest, I like the bottom one of the skins walking past the hippies....

They look terrified, trying not to make eye contact with the skins.... It's funny, but they did instill fear like no other sub culture. I remember crossing the road every time I saw them, they used to cut our quiffs off. I even took a lump of wood to my head and still have the scar from those cheeky little sausages.